Suction cleaner



Sept. 26, 1944. w. H. KITTO SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 30, 1940 II. IIII V KNVENTOR William HKifto fi/J /Sj ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1944SUCTION CLEANER William H. Kitto, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The HooverCompany, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December30, 1940, Serial No. 372,236

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleanei's in general andparticularly to a new and novel arrangement of parts in a suctioncleaner. More specifically the invention comprises new and novelarrangements of the functionally essential elements of a suction cleanerin a manner to provide decreased over-all cleaner height, therebyincreasing the range of cleaner usefulness.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedsuction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide a newand improved suction cleaner characterized by low over-all height. Afurther object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner in whichthe cleaner motor, fan and agitator are arranged in a novel relationshipto insure decreased cleaner height. Still another object of theinvention is to provide a suction cleaner in which the agitator and thesuction-creating fan are driven by the cleaner motor which is positionedin a novel relationship relative thereto. Still another object of theinvention is to provide a suction cleaner in which the driving motorshaft is connected to the a shaft of the suction-creating fan, thelatter being connected from an immediately adjacent point to theagitator. These and other more specific objects will appear upon readingthe following specification and claims and upon considering inconnection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross section through a cleaner constructedin accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a. bottom view of the cleaner illustrated in Figure 1.

The range of usefulness of a suction cleaner in its on-the-floorcleaning operation is dependent to a considerable degree upon the heightof the cleaner. A cleaner of great height is unable to pass underobjects of furniture to remove foreign material from the surfacecovering thereunder, while a cleaner of lesser height could perform thatservice. Accordingly it is desirable that suction cleaners for such useshall have a minimum vertical height. The arrangement'of cleaner partsto effect this desirable result is of extreme importance, and any novelrelationship of parts which effects a lower cleaner height, or whichmakes possible low cleaner height at no sacrifice of cleaner efficiency,or which insures low cleaner height without sacrifice of other desirablecharacteristics, is a meritorious contribution. In the suction cleanersconstructed in accordance with the present invention the cleaner isdesigned so that the over-all vertical height of the machine is aminimum. The functionally essential parts are related in such a mannerthat they are capable of functioning with maximum efliciency and yettheir positions are such that the cleaner height is a minimum.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the cleaner casing is seen to comprisea front wall I, a flat top wall 2 which is joined to wall I and extendsrearwardly therefrom, side walls 3, 3 which merge in smooth curveswiththe walls I and 2, and a rear wall 4 which extends parallel to frontwall I and is connected to side walls 3, 3 and the top wall 2. Top wall2 is formed with a centrally located opening 5 which is normally closedby a removable cover plate 6 for a purpose which will hereinafter beexplained. The walls I, 2, 3 and 4 form a downwardly facing openbottomed shell which is a unitary construction together with apassageway 8 which extends along the underside of the top wall 2 andopens through the rear wall 4. This shell or main casting of the machineis indicated generally by the reference character 9 and is movablysupported by front wheels I ll, II], which are rotatably mounted on theside walls 3, and by rear wheels H, which are rotatably mounted upon anaxle l2 carried in brackets l3 formed upon the underside of wall 2.

Fixedly secured to the underside of the main body 9 by means of aplurality of screws I5, are a fan chamber l6 and a rear nozzle wall I!which preferably comprise a unitary construction, although the fanchamber l6 may be provided with a separate top wall l8 formed with aneye 20 which wall is secured in place by any suitable securing means.The fan chamber is formed with a cut-ofi or outlet l9 of the same sizeand shape as the passageway 8 and, with the fan chamber IS in position,this cut-ofi is in exact alignment with the passageway 8 so that the twoform the exhaust passageway or exhaust outlet of the fan chamber.

As in the usual suction cleaner, a handle 28 is pivotally mounted uponpins 29 at the opposite sides of the casin and provides means by whichthe machine can be propelled. There is provided, also in the usualmanner, a dust bag 30 which is removably secured to the rear wall 4 ofthe body 9 by manually releasable screws 3|, 3|, and which i opentherethrough to the end of the fan chamber exhaust outlet 8.

The dynamic parts of the cleaner are inter related with the casing partsaforedescribed in the following manner. Within thev nozzle, delned bythe front and rear nozzle walls I and I1, is positioned a rotaryagitator 35 which comprises the usual cylindrical body whiqh isrotatably mounted upon a stationary supporting shaft 36 carried in thenozzle end walls in which it is removably retained by suitable meanssuch as 31. Agitator 35 includes flexible brushing elements 38 and rigidbeating elements 40 and there is provided in the body of the agitator apulley surface 4| of reduced diameter which serves to receive a rotatingforce for the agitator.

The fan chamber I6 is formed with a central opening 6| seating a bearing62. The latter rotatably supports a downwardly and rearwardly inclinedshaft 46 which carries the suction-creating fan 45. A gear housing 64 issecured to the underside of the fan chamber l6 by means of screws 85 andseats, at a. point below the bearin 62, a second bearing 66 throughwhich the shaft 46 extends to carry a driving pulley 50. A seconddetachable housing element 68 extends rearwardly from an aperture 10 inthe rear nozzle wall 11, being secured in place by means of screws 69,to enclose the driving pulley 5D and to form a belt passageway which isinteriorly open to the nozzle. The power-transmitting belt 72 extendsthrough the passageway formed by the housing element 68 to seat upon theagitator pulley surface 4|.

A driving motor 52 is secured in place beneath the casing wall 2 bymeans of screws 53 with the axis of rotation arranged angularly relativethereto in order that the motor shaft 54 may extend through a passageway61, formed integrally with the housin element 64, and to a positionimmediately adjacent the fan shaft 46. At that point shaft 54 carries agear 14 which meshes with a second gear 15 carried by the fan shaft 46between the bearing 62 and 85, the relationship being such that upon therotation of the motor shaft the fan shaft will be rotated and in anobvious manner.

In operation upon the energization of the motor the rotation of themotor shaft 54 directly drives the fan shaft 46, through being gearedthereto, and the rotation of the latter element effects rotation of theagitator within the cleaner nozzle through the pulley 5D and thepowertransmitting belt 12. The positioning of the cleaner motor at oneside of the fan chamber, with only the motor shaft extending thereunderand into juxtaposition relative to the fan shaft, provides aconstruction which is of reduced height and the drive of the agitatorfrom the motor through the fan shaft results in a construction in whicha double reduction of speed can be obtained before reaching theagitator.

Rotation of the fan 45 effects a reduction in the pressure existingwithin the nozzle between the walls i and i1, thereby causing air to bedrawn therefrom, through the fan chamber eye and exhausted through theoutlet, comprising the passageways l9 and 8, into the dust bag 30. Theagitator 35, being rotated by the belt 12, contacts, beats and brushesthe surface covering positioned therebelow which has been lift-' ed bythe reduced pressure in the nozzle into contact with the nozzle lips inand lid on the front and rear nozzle Walls i and i1, respectively. Thisaction of the agitator functions to dislodge from the surface coveringundergoing cleaning the embedded foreign material therein and thecleaning air, rushing into the nozzle under the lips, carries thatmaterial away to deposit it within the lltering bag 30. During thisoperation the user propels the machine back and forth upon the surfacecovering, in accordance with the usual cleaning practice with suctioncleaners, by means of force exerted through the handle 28. Should theoperator desire to use the machine for the oif-the-fioor cleaning, thatis, in cleaning drapes, furniture, etc., he need only remove the coverplate 6, insert the usual converter in the opening 5 into sealingengagement with the fan chamber eye 20 whereupon the cleaner suction ismade effective through the converter to the dusting tools which are, ofcourse, attached thereto. This type of conversion is in accordance withwell known suction cleaner practice.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a cleaner body having a nozzle at its forwardend, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, a substantially horizontal fanchamber connected to said nozzle and arranged rearwardly of said nozzleand along one side wall of said body, said fan chamber dependingdownwardly below the top wall of said cleaner body to provide a spacebeneath the body top wall between a depending wall of said fan chamberand the opposite side wall of said cleaner body, a fan in said fanchamber with its shaft projecting below the closed bottom wall of saidfan chamber, a substantially horizontal motor below the top wall of saidbody and positioned in said space between said fan chamber and saidopposite side wall of said cleaner body, said motor having its drivingshaft connected beneath said fan chamber to said fan shaft adjacent saidclosed bottom wall of said fan chamber, a belt housing extending betweensaid fan shaft and said agitator and having a downwardly exposedclosable opening, a power transmitting belt in said belt housing belowsaid motor-fan shaft connection and connected to said fan shaft and saidagitator, and a cover for said belt-housing opening and removable forconnecting and disconnecting said belt on said fan shaft withoutdisturbing said connection of said motor shaft to said fan shaft.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body provided with anozzle, a substantially horizontal fan chamber connected to said nozzle,an agitator movably mounted in said nozzle and comprising: a fan in saidfan chamber having its shaft extended below the closed wall of said fanchamber, a substantially horizontal motor adjacent the vertical wall ofsaid fan chamber and having its shaft in a substantially horizontalplane passing beneath said fan chamber, a gear on said extended fanshaft at a point adjacent to said closed wall of said fan chamber andconnected to said substantially horizontal motor shaft, and a beltconnected to said agitator and to a pulley on said extended fan shaft ata point below said motor-fan shaft gear connection, whereby said beltmay be disconnected from said extended fan shaft without disturbing saidmotorfan shaft gear power transmitting connection.

3. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body provided with anozzle, a substantially horizontal fan chamber connected to said nozzle,an agitator movably mounted in said nozzle and comprising: a fan in saidfan chamber having its shaft supported in the closed bottom wall of saidfan chamber and extended therebelow, said extended fan shaft beingunsupported at its lower end, a substantially horizontal motor adjacentthe vertical wall of said fan chamber and having its shaft in asubstantially horizontal plane passing beneath the closed bottom wall ofsaid fan chamber, a gear on said extended fan shaft at a point adjacentto said closed wall of said fan chamber and connected to saidsubstantially horizontal motor shaft, a belt pulley at thelowerunsupported end of said extended fan shaft beneath said motor-fanshaft gear connection, and a resilient belt connected to said agitatorand pulley whereby said belt may be slipped off of said pulley over theunsupported end of said extended fan shaft to disconnect said beltwithout disturbing saidmotor-fan shaft gear power transmittingconnection.

WILLIAM H. KI'I'IO.

